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ARICE · Project

Shared Access to Arctic Icebreakers for Better Ocean Data and Predictions

environmentPrototypeTRL 4Thin data (2/5)
arice-h2020.eu

Imagine you need to drive across a frozen lake to study what's underneath, but there are only a handful of trucks strong enough to break through the ice — and they're all owned by different countries. ARICE got 15 organizations from 13 countries to agree on sharing 6 major research icebreakers so scientists can actually get to the Arctic Ocean. They also built a 3D virtual icebreaker tool so researchers can access ship data remotely without being physically on board. Think of it as a car-sharing service, but for billion-dollar ice-breaking ships.

By the numbers
6
Research icebreakers coordinated for shared trans-national access
15
Partner organizations in the consortium
13
Countries participating in the Arctic research coordination
50
Total project deliverables produced
2
Industry partners involved in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

Companies operating in or near the Arctic — shipping lines, energy firms, mining operators, environmental consultancies — need reliable sea-ice predictions, weather data, and environmental assessments. But Arctic Ocean data is scarce because research icebreaker time is limited, expensive, and fragmented across different national fleets with no coordinated access.

The solution

What was built

ARICE built a coordination strategy for sharing 6 major research icebreakers across 13 countries, a trans-national access programme for European scientists, a 3D Virtual Icebreaker for remote data access, and protocols for partnering with maritime industry on measurement technologies. The project produced 50 deliverables in total.

Audience

Who needs this

Maritime sensor and autonomous measurement system manufacturers needing Arctic field testingShipping companies planning Arctic route operationsEnvironmental consultancies conducting Arctic impact assessmentsOffshore energy companies requiring sea-ice and weather prediction dataPolar tourism operators needing safety and route condition data
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Maritime Technology & Equipment
SME
Target: Companies manufacturing sensors, autonomous measurement systems, or marine instrumentation for polar conditions

If you are a maritime tech company developing sensors or autonomous measurement platforms for harsh environments — this project worked with industry partners on a 'ships and platforms of opportunity' programme and explored new technologies for ship-based and autonomous measurements in the Arctic Ocean. The consortium of 15 partners across 13 countries provides a ready-made network for testing and validating your equipment on 6 operational research icebreakers.

Arctic Shipping & Logistics
enterprise
Target: Shipping companies planning Arctic route operations needing ice and weather prediction data

If you are a shipping company evaluating Arctic routes and need accurate sea-ice and weather predictions — ARICE coordinated 6 major research icebreakers collecting data across the Arctic Ocean to improve exactly those predictions. The 3D Virtual Icebreaker deliverable provides remote access to Arctic research data that could feed directly into your route planning and risk assessment models.

Environmental Consulting & Risk Assessment
mid-size
Target: Consultancies advising energy or mining companies on Arctic environmental impact

If you are an environmental consultancy advising clients on Arctic operations — this project produced 50 deliverables covering Arctic Ocean conditions, ice behaviour, and environmental data from coordinated icebreaker missions. The trans-national access programme across 13 countries means standardized, high-quality datasets you can reference in environmental impact assessments and regulatory submissions.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access Arctic icebreaker time or data through this consortium?

The project provided trans-national access to 6 research icebreakers funded through the EU programme, meaning access was merit-based via scientific proposals. Now that the project has closed (ended December 2022), commercial access terms would need to be negotiated directly with individual vessel operators like Alfred Wegener Institute.

Can the coordination model or data tools scale to cover commercial Arctic operations?

ARICE coordinated 15 partners across 13 countries and 6 major icebreakers, demonstrating the model works at international scale. The 3D Virtual Icebreaker enables remote data access, which could scale to serve commercial users. However, the consortium was designed for research access, not commercial service delivery.

What intellectual property or tools came out of this project?

The project produced 50 deliverables including the 3D Virtual Icebreaker for remote data access. The coordination strategies and operational protocols for shared icebreaker use are also key outputs. IP arrangements would depend on individual partner institutions, with the coordinator Alfred Wegener Institute being the primary contact.

Is the icebreaker-sharing consortium still active after the project ended?

The project ran from 2018 to 2022 and is now closed. ARICE was explicitly working towards establishing a permanent International Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium that would outlast the EU funding period. Based on available project data, the long-term sustainability of the consortium would need to be confirmed with the coordinator.

How does this connect to Arctic regulatory requirements?

ARICE aimed to develop policy recommendations for sustainable usage of the Arctic Ocean and its resources. The environmental and sea-ice data collected through coordinated icebreaker missions directly supports companies needing to meet Arctic environmental regulations. The 13-country partnership gives the outputs cross-jurisdictional credibility.

Can we integrate the 3D Virtual Icebreaker into our own data systems?

The 3D Virtual Icebreaker was built to implement virtual and remote access to Arctic research data. Based on available project data, integration capabilities would need to be discussed with the development team at Alfred Wegener Institute. The tool was designed as a research access platform, not a commercial API.

Consortium

Who built it

The ARICE consortium is heavily research-oriented with 9 out of 15 partners being research organizations and only 2 industry partners (13% industry ratio). This tells a business person that the project was designed for scientific infrastructure, not commercial product development. However, the geographic spread across 13 countries — including major Arctic nations like Canada, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark — means the network covers virtually every jurisdiction relevant to Arctic operations. The coordinator, Alfred Wegener Institute, is Germany's premier polar research institution and a credible gateway to Arctic data and research capabilities. The single SME in the consortium suggests limited but present commercial interest.

How to reach the team

Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), Germany — one of Europe's leading polar research centres. Contact their technology transfer or partnerships office.

Order a report on this consortiumSee ALFRED-WEGENER-INSTITUT HELMHOLTZ-ZENTRUM FUR POLAR- UND MEERESFORSCHUNG profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the ARICE team for Arctic data access or maritime technology testing? SciTransfer can connect you with the right person at AWI.

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